Vol. 331 No. 3
I move:
That a supplementary sum not exceeding £376,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 1981, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Attorney General.
Speaking for myself I should like to point out that the Attorney General is the chairman of the committee that has been set up to look at our Constitution. I assume that in the normal way, therefore, on an Estimate relating to the Attorney General's office one could discuss various aspects of his work and his activities. Certainly, I feel that the constitutional review aspect of his activities is something several Members on all sides might well wish to comment on at present because it is of some public interest. It is the subject of discussion and debate from time to time and it is a pity if we are not allowed an opportunity now to voice our opinions. The time is virtually up and, even if I wanted to, I could not engage in any discussion on this Vote; but in those circumstances would the Minister agree to adjourn this Vote for a week? The Attorney General's office is not going to collapse over the next seven days.
As I indicated earlier, the Minister, or any other Member, is not entitled to depart from the order of the House, which is that Vote 12 be completed by 5 o'clock.
Naturally, that cannot be changed, but I will inquire from the Attorney General and the Government, if this will meet the Deputy's wishes, whether they will consider making time available — it will hardly be done before Christmas but perhaps in January — to debate the review of the Constitution.
The Chair appreciates that arrangements could be made but the point the Chair has to make is that in respect of Vote 12 it is not possible to do anything with it other than what has been ordered.
I am not asking for a specific debate on the Vote but I am observing that there may be Members who may wish to avail of the opportunity to this Supplementary Estimate to discuss aspects of the Attorney General's work, including the one I mentioned.
Then the Deputy's Whip should not have agreed to take these Votes virtually without debate before 5 o'clock.
I cannot see how the Whip would have known that this was going to come up at two minutes to 5 o'clock.
He must have been willing to take the chance.
The Chair must do what is required of him and at this stage I must indicate that debate has terminated and the Vote must formally be put.
